[Albion] Andone or Locardia

[Bold Seagull]

Stephens.

Not a Potter player. Too slow to move the ball forward, not anywhere near the speed of thinking or passing required by our new manager in the centre of midfield.
You’re not going to like Potter and his tactics one bit, especially when he starts playing wing-backs.

As I have advised before, please start your Potter out campaign early then you can come back to various threads and declare that you never wanted him from the beginning.

I actually think its going to be the likes of yourself that will be perplexed by Potter's selections and tactics. You're expecting a revolution, I think it will be a much quieter evolution.

 

[Stat Brother]

Where I am with Knockeart especially, is that he arguably has the quickest feet, skills, and ability to beat a man in the club (point taken Daz that it isn't always applied effectively). His is a mental progression that he could make that going into his prime years where experience counts, he could suddenly click and be much better than we've seen. We may have seen more of him over the last 4 years, doesn't mean we've yet seen the best. You cannot coach the skills he has, but you can coach and develop the decision making he makes. The goal against Palace may not have been a one off, but a sign of things to come.

I hope you're right.
As you know I'm sure one of Big Jurg or Ali will fail and (assuming they get one) their place in the first team will need filling.

To me the palace goal highlights exactly the point am trying to make.

Scoring it not only validated the million previous failed attempts.
But meant we'd see a further bazillion attempts over the rest of the season.
With the added bonus of a very predictable, self sabotaging, red card thrown in for good measure.

I can't see Potty putting up with that & I can't see AK changing his ways accordingly.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Stephens is the kind of holding midfielder that every team in the Premier wants irrespective of who the manager is.

No he is not. You are clearly wrong.

Top 6 holding midfielders progress possession upfield a hell of a lot quicker than Stephens. Stephens is top notch defensively and positionally but we may have well have kept Hughton and his defensive philosophy rather than bring in a progressive attack minded manager. I think Potter will want a goal scoring box-2-box all rounder midfielder supported by a false 10 (running back all the time) and a third CB pushing forward.

We’ll see but I genuinely believe that Potter’s tactics will drive you bananas!

 

[dazzer6666]

Where I am with Knockeart especially, is that he arguably has the quickest feet, skills, and ability to beat a man in the club (point taken Daz that it isn't always applied effectively). His is a mental progression that he could make that going into his prime years where experience counts, he could suddenly click and be much better than we've seen. We may have seen more of him over the last 4 years, doesn't mean we've yet seen the best. You cannot coach the skills he has, but you can coach and develop the decision making he makes. The goal against Palace may not have been a one off, but a sign of things to come.

Genuinely hope so (and agree re quickest feet etc), but he must have had nigh-on 20 years of coaching already, including maybe 8-10 as a professional, so I'm just not overly optimistic. He hasn't changed in his time with us to any great extent. If Potter can deal with the emotional/mental side of AK's game (and with his qualifications he seems ideally placed to at least give it a good go) then we'll have an absolute diamond on our hands.

 

[BensGrandad]

I believe, but could be wrong, that Potter will employ Stephens to break up attacks in front of the back 4 or 3 and then him give the ball to either Propper, Bissouma or Gross to carry and pass it forward. That ensures a fast change around from defending in numbers to attacking in numbers.

 

[dazzer6666]

I actually think its going to be the likes of yourself that will be perplexed by Potter's selections and tactics. You're expecting a revolution, I think it will be a much quieter evolution.

It's quite exciting not knowing and being able to speculate isn't it ? We kind of knew what we'd get with CH (maybe he was a bit less 'Dullard' than some predicted, at least for a while), but this is more like anticipating the Sami era...............hopefully the outcome will be different

 

[Hugo Rune]

I actually think its going to be the likes of yourself that will be perplexed by Potter's selections and tactics. You're expecting a revolution, I think it will be a much quieter evolution.

If you’re expecting a CH style 4-4-1-1 at the beginning of the season with the odd change here and there like . . . .

Ryan
Montoya - Dunk - Duffy - Bernardo
Knockaert - Stephens - Pröpper - Trossard
Groß
Murray

I think you’re going to be a little confused come the first game of the season.

I’m certain that Potter was not brought in to subtly tinker with CH’s formations and philosophy because we’d have been much better keeping our most successful Manager ever, in his role, in that situation.

Gear yourself up for wing backs, Clarke starting the, Schelotto/Locadia/Ali J and complex and changing tactics and formations from the word go. It’s going to be huge!

 

[Doc Lynam]

Stephens.

Not a Potter player. Too slow to move the ball forward, not anywhere near the speed of thinking or passing required by our new manager in the centre of midfield.
You’re not going to like Potter and his tactics one bit, especially when he starts playing wing-backs.

As I have advised before, please start your Potter out campaign early then you can come back to various threads and declare that you never wanted him from the beginning.

I agree about Stephen’s speed of thought, he never really anyone to hit on the break. This coming season will see if he can step up to quick prem decision making.

Always remember Mark McGhee's observation; division 1 you get 3 seconds, championship you get 2, premier you get 1. I think that’ll be asked more now then ever. But at the same time, he’s got a good pass on him, he can dominate his space and smell trouble, clearly got an engine but is he box to box, I’m not sure. Given a bit more of a chance he’s got a good shot on him as well.

 

[Bold Seagull]

If you’re expecting a CH style 4-4-1-1 at the beginning of the season with the odd change here and there like . . . .

Ryan
Montoya - Dunk - Duffy - Bernardo
Knockaert - Stephens - Pröpper - Trossard
Groß
Murray

I think you’re going to be a little confused come the first game of the season.

I’m certain that Potter was not brought in to subtly tinker with CH’s formations and philosophy because we’d have been much better keeping our most successful Manager ever, in his role, in that situation.

Gear yourself up for wing backs, Clarke starting the, Schelotto/Locadia/Ali J and complex and changing tactics and formations from the word go. It’s going to be huge!

He mostly played 4-3-3 at Swansea, switching to a 4-2-3-1 and other formations as required. I don't think the Swans played much 3 at the back with wingbacks at all. He's been bought in for an attacking mindset and bringing younger players through. Tactics will evolve from a solid foundation that has delivered a 3rd season in the Premier League.

I'll be more than confused if all what you're saying happens at the start of the season.

 

[chaileyjem]

Gear yourself up for wing backs

Potter played 4 at the back 40 times out of 46 games last season.

 

[Hugo Rune]

I agree about Stephen’s speed of thought, he never really anyone to hit on the break. This coming season will see if he can step up to quick prem decision making.

Always remember Mark McGhee's observation; division 1 you get 3 seconds, championship you get 2, premier you get 1. I think that’ll be asked more now then ever. But at the same time, he’s got a good pass on him, he can dominate his space and smell trouble, clearly got an engine but is he box to box, I’m not sure. Given a bit more of a chance he’s got a good shot on him as well.

I hope he’s given a chance, just feel that he might not get quite the amount of time and space to play too many of those killer passes we know he is capable of.

Still, in that promotion last game decider against Boro, I thought Stephens played the box-to-box roll better than I’d ever seen before from him or any other Albion player and was head and shoulders above all other players on the pitch before he saw red.

Let’s see what happens with the shackles off.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Potter played 4 at the back 40 times out of 46 games last season.

Because he only had two good centre backs. Swansea fans have been on this board to tell us that fact and you know it.

Check out his 6 seasons (or so) at Östersunds. Mostly 50/50 back 3/back 4 EVERY season!

 

[chaileyjem]

Because he only had two good centre backs. Swansea fans have been on this board to tell us that fact and you know it.

Check out his 6 seasons (or so) at Östersunds. Mostly 50/50 back 3/back 4 EVERY season!

Just pointing out what happened last year. Draw your own conclusions. He might well play 3 at the back but afaik he's said nothing about his likely preferred formation next season.

 

[chaileyjem]

.

Let’s see what happens with the shackles off.

This phrase is used a lot on here in the last few weeks with assumption that Hughton had all the players in shackles and Potter would take them off. Is this simply he's known to be more attack minded thus "shackles off"

But what does "with the shackles off" actually mean for a player like Stephens ?

 

[Geestar]

Not Andone for me

Sent from my TA-1020 using Tapatalk

 

[dazzer6666]

This phrase is used a lot on here in the last few weeks with assumption that Hughton had all the players in shackles and Potter would take them off. Is this simply he's known to be more attack minded thus "shackles off"

But what does "with the shackles off" actually mean for a player like Stephens ?

Not much, he’ll still be shielding the back 2, 3, 4 or 5 (hopefully not 8) and breaking up play. It’s what he does pretty well. Someone needs to do it.

 

[rogersix]

This phrase is used a lot on here in the last few weeks with assumption that Hughton had all the players in shackles and Potter would take them off. Is this simply he's known to be more attack minded thus "shackles off"

But what does "with the shackles off" actually mean for a player like Stephens ?

kicking the ball towards the opponents goal; i guess

 

[durrington gull]

Andone would have cost us the better part of £20million the previous season had Deportivo wanted to sell. He only cost £5million due to their relegation and a release clause in his contract. I think Andone is a fantastic player, I'm disappointed we didn't get to see him playing as a number 10 off Glenn Murray last season. Hopefully we'll see him properly playing in the side this season.

I don't think we should sign any strikers this window, I think we've got 3 strikers who all have different strengths. So let's get the wingers involved in the game and by effect, our strikers will be far more involved as well. Win win!

Really! the ONE area where we're desperate to re enforce - remind me how many goals did our mis-firing strikers score again!!??

 

[DJ NOBO]

I can’t believe there are people on here who don’t think we need a new quality forward.
I took it as a given that signing at least one, would be a priority

 

[Cheshire Cat]

Murray might have to be regular starter, given the alternatives.